Discover Top 100 Audiobooks in Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic New Releases

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Title: Into Shadow

Author: Jane Shoup

Narrator: Romy Nordlinger

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-13-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

How many lives can be destroyed by one mans quest for revenge? A good number, when that man is power-hungry, self-proclaimed king Denyson Folworth. As suspicion mounts that he had his father murdered, circumstances change, control slips, and pressure builds. Folworth, who knows he must change public perception in order to remain in control, will stop at nothing to eliminate his adversaries, especially the renowned assassins known as Forzenays Five. Forzenay and the others have no intention of allowing Folworth to dictate their paths, but that becomes increasingly difficult as their identities are exposed and a campaign of vicious propaganda gains momentum. Drastic change seems mandated, and difficult choices become the order of the day, but in a deadly game of vengeance, not everyone can or will survive.

Members Reviews:

Disappointing

Poor end to a great story. The quality of writing is shocking and very different from the first two. Wouldn't be surprised if a ghost writer did this one! A published author should not have grammar errors and malapropisms.

The narrator is truly dreadful, which highlights the poor writing. Don't spoil the story for yourself - don't get the last instalment.

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Title: The Bronze of Eddarta

Subtitle: Gandalara, Book 3

Author: Randall Garrett, Vicki Ann Heydron

Narrator: Paul Boehmer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-10-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 42 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Raiders of the Sacred Stone

Somewhere in Eddarta, stolen by a treacherous assassin, lay the Ra'ira, the most precious jewel of the burning desert world of Gandalara. Armed with the steel sword of Serkajon, Rikardon and his telepathic warcat Keeshah seek the sacred stone. With the aid of Tarani, a beautiful illusionist with a mysterious past, they make a daring raid on Eddarta's royal citadel - to rescue the gem before its awesome powers can be used for destruction.

Members Reviews:

It still has it

The story continues, all the ups and downs of a good tale. I think these books are a must have item.

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Title: Gods of Fire and Thunder

Subtitle: The Fifth Book of the Gods

Author: Fred Saberhagen

Narrator: Clive Chafer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-08-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

In the first four volumes of the Book of the Gods, Fred Saberhagen brought a new perspective to the classic gods of Greek mythology. Now the legendary creator of the Berzerker and Lost Swords sagas turns his gaze northward toward an entirely different pantheon of immortal deities...the fearsome and ferocious gods of Valhalla.

Haraldur the Northman once joined Jason on his fabled quest for the Golden Fleece, but now he wants nothing more to do with gods and adventure. Returning to his homeland for the first time in many years, he hopes only to settle down on a farm of his own - until he comes across an impenetrable wall of eldritch fire and a lovesick youth determined to breach the wall at any cost.

Behind the towering flames, he is told, lies a beautiful Valkyrie trapped in an enchanted sleep, as well as, perhaps, a golden treasure beyond mortal reckoning. It is the gold that tempts Hal to agree, against his better judgment, to assist the youth in his quest.

But to find a way past the fiery wall, they must first brave gnomes, ghosts, and the wrath of the gods themselves. For a mighty battle is brewing, and Hal soon finds himself caught up in a celestial conflict between Thor the Thunderer, Loki the Trickster, and, most powerful of all, Wodan, the merciless Lord of Battles!

Members Reviews:

on second thought

okay I've read all five books now and I pray to God there's going to be a sxth!! PLEASE

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Title: A Path to Coldness of Heart

Subtitle: Dread Empire, Book 8

Author: Glen Cook

Narrator: Stephen Hoye

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-05-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

At long last, the conclusion to Glen Cook's Dread Empire saga has arrived! King Bragi Ragnarson is a prisoner, shamed, nameless, and held captive by Lord Shih-kaa and the Empress Mist at the heart of the Dread Empire. Far away in Kavelin, Bragia's queen and what remains of his army seek to find and free their king, hampered by the loss or desertion of their best and brightest warriors. Kavelina's spymaster, Michael Trebilcock, is missing in action, as is loyal soldier Aral Dantice.

Meanwhile, Dane, Duke of Greyfells, seeks to seize the rule of Kavelin and place the kingdom in his pocket, beginning a new line of succession through Bragia's queen, Dane's cousin Inger. And in the highest peaks of the Dragona's Teeth, in the ancient castle Fangdred, the sorcerer called Varthlokkur uses his arts to spy on the world at large, observing the puppet strings that control kings and empires alike, waiting....

For the time of the wrath of kings is almost at hand, and vengeance lies along a path to coldness of heart.

Members Reviews:

Great book, but little closure

Maybe you just started reading the re-released Dread Empire books. Maybe you're like me and you've been waiting a few decades for come closure to the events in the last book. Either way, the final installment is finally here. This book is basically the four final un-published books rolled into one. Due to the manuscripts for the final two books being stolen from Mr. Cooks home in the '80's and the success of the Black Company series, the final installments of the Dread Empire were shelved. Mr. Cook agreed to write the final chapter in return for Nightshade Books publishing the other books in the series.

On to the book... I feel that Glen Cook's writing has gotten better over the years, which is to be expected as someone perfects their craft. I won't get into spoilers here (see below if you're interested), but the book focuses on addressing what happens to the major characters.

One of the great things about this book, and Glen Cook's works in general, is that characters are real. They don't conform to good/bad stereotypes. For example, there's one character in this book, Babeltausque, who has some major character flaws and you're constantly asking yourself "is he a good guy, or a bad guy?" In the end he's like many people you know, he's both good and bad... he's just a guy.

***Spoiler Alert***

Now on the the critique... it relates to the ending. There are many unresolved plot lines at the end of the book. Most of the book built to a final showdown with the Star Rider, but we never really figure out what happened to him. What will Haroun now do that his son is dead and he's got a new baby on the way with his wife? These and other issues weren't fully resolved because, in life, we rarely have full closure and resolution and that's the way Glen Cook writes. From a storyteller/realism perspective, ending a book this way makes sense. However, as readers we've become... trained to expect loose ends to be tied, conflicts to be resolved, and characters to have closure. This doesn't happen at the end of the book, and it may tick some readers off. I didn't feel this was enough to dock it a star, because this is true to Glen Cook's style.

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Title: The Thieves' Guild

Subtitle: Dragonlance: Crossroads, Book 2

Author: Jeff Crook

Narrator: Dina Pearlman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-29-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Palanthas, Jewel of Ansalon, City of Seven Circles, heart of the old Solamnic empire. For three thousand years she has shone as a beacon to the world. Even now, ruled by the Knights of Neraka, she glitters in the night.

Yet at the core of the gleaming city lies a dark center: the Thieves' Guild. Though the Dark Knights ruthlessly crushed the guild beneath an iron heel, a stronger, darker guild has arisen. Now it's intent on recovering its lost treasures and power.

And nothing will stand in its way.

Members Reviews:

excellent book

great story of an anti hero who is a great man under the surface & a thief I highly recommend it to all

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Title: The Fortress of Glass

Subtitle: The Crown of the Isles, Book 1

Author: David Drake

Narrator: Michael Page

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-22-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 23 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

The Fortress of Glass is the first in the Crown of the Isles trilogy, which will conclude the epic Lord of the Isles series. A true trilogy, the action extends over the whole three-book arc. The Fortress of Glass begins the story of how the new kingdom of the Isles is finally brought into being by the group of heroes and heroines who have been central to all the books in the series. The group includes Prince Garric, heir to the throne of the Isles; his consort Liane; his sister, Sharina; her herculean sweetheart, Cashel; his sister, Ilna, with her adopted child Merota; and piratical Chalcus. On giant triremes filled with soldiers and diplomats, they journey to the small kingdoms of the Isles to confirm the succession of Garric and to subdue, if necessary, any local rulers too fond of their own kingship to pledge fealty to Garric.

All this is being done in a time when the powers of magic in the Isles have flooded to a thousand-year peak, and even local magicians can perform powerful spells normally beyond their control. Fantastic forces from all angles try to keep them apart and unable to continue the reunification of the Isles. So, separately and together, they must fight their way back to the same time and place to combat the mysterious and supernatural menace of The Green Woman in her Fortress of Glass.

Members Reviews:

Five Stars

nice series

Boring

Boring! Throughout the whole book, spend an excessive amount of time developing character backgrounds you already know about from previous books in series. Lots of filler! Can't recommend. And enough already with references to Barka's Hamlet. Good God!

Five Stars

my son loves these books

One Star

Same old story.

Very unusual story, but it got way too complicated

Okay, this is an unusual book, the way it's written. The story is good, variety of characters yes, and it had my interest...up until about 3/4 of the way in. It seemed to have a theme of adding more complexity with each passing chapter..to the point where it got so complex (without serving a purpose), it started not to make sense anymore...or was no longer believable.

I prefer Robert Jordan, or Frank Herbert (Dune series), or Lord of the Rings series, or Lorna Freeman, or Greg Keyes (Briar King).

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Title: Mythology 101

Subtitle: Mythology, Book 1

Author: Jody Lynn Nye

Narrator: Kevin Free

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-12-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 48 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Meet Keith Doyle - weirdo, business major, nerd, and believer in myths. To his joy - and horror - Keith has just discovered a village of elves in the university library. And when the library is threatened with demolition, Keith and the elves join forces to save it.

Members Reviews:

Bureaucracy: The Fairy Tale? Seriously?

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

This book couldn't quite decide what it was. A fantasy about fairy-tale elves come to life? A satire of bureaucracy in government, education and labor unions? A lighthearted romance? As a result, none of it worked for me. The magic was mired in details of -- I kid you not -- trying to file estimated taxes and secure mortgages given the challenge of elves having no social security numbers. If that bureaucracy had been played for laughs it might have made for a good satire, but alas, it was all tiresomely serious.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Most: the details of creating a scavenger-elf civilization: Least: a tie between the unconvincing romances and the endless bureaucracy.

What three words best describe Kevin Frees performance?

Well-meaning; bouncy; makes every female character high-pitched and breathy.

Any additional comments?

I listened to more than three-quarters of this book, thinking all the while that surely things were finally about to get interesting. Unfortunately, it never happened for me.

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Title: Rules of Ascension

Subtitle: Winds of the Forelands, Book 1

Author: David B. Coe

Narrator: Alpha Trivette

Format: Unabridged

Length: 22 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-11-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 55 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

David B. Coe, winner of the William L. Crawford Award for Best First Fantasy Series for the LonTobyn Chronicle, continues his rise to the top rank of fantasy writers with Rules of Ascension, the first novel of an exciting new epic fantasy quartet, Winds of the Forelands.

For centuries the Forelands were disputed by several tribes. Then came the magically gifted Qirsi - physically no match for their foes, but capable of mindsight, creating and controlling mists and fire, and bending solid matter to their purpose. After a Qirsi traitor betrayed his race to save himself, the Qirsi were defeated and dispersed among the seven realms of the Forelands. Those specially endowed Qirsi capable of multiple powers, the Weavers, were all put to death.

For centuries the Forelands enjoyed relative peace. But when Tavis, the heir to the Kingdom of Curgh, is wrongfully blamed for the murder of a noble, the accusation sets in motion a series of events culminating in civil war. The ensuing chaos topples the throne in Eibithar and threatens to rain chaos on all the realms of the Forelands. Tavis, thrust into the center of deadly controversy and stripped of the protection of his family's nobility, turns to the Qirsi, his last remaining hope for redemption.

But another Qirsi traitor, secretly fomenting fear and mistrust among the Dukedoms, seeks to destroy Tavis. Tavis must survive long enough to clear his name and save an entire kingdom.

A powerful, compelling tale set in an unforgettable land, Rules of Ascension will capture your heart and fire your imagination.

Members Reviews:

Very good

Any additional comments?

The story and narrator are both very good. Grabs your attention pretty quickly. Audible lists book 5 of the series but where are books 2-4?? Disappointing that I can't continue the story.

Hard read, but worth it. This book was one of my favorites in high school .

5 Star Story

I would dearly love to give this book a 5 star rating, but the narration just isn't good enough for it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fantasy intrigue. After 40 years of fantasy reading, it's a challenge to find a new author with new concepts. I found this series after reading Thieftaker, which is written by the same author under a different name. I'm surpised the Forelands Series hasn't had more attention. The writing is excellent and the plot line engaging. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.

The narration isn't terrible, don't let it deter you from listening to the book, but it doesn't do the book justice. I would love to hear this book narrated by someone like Kate Reading or Michael Kramer.

Gripping story

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

David Coe has done a great job creating a new world with interesting people.

What does Alpha Trivette bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

The narrator is excellent. He changes tones and inflection for each character.

Any additional comments?

The book ends rather abruptly. We had to start book 2 immediately!

Good stories still depend on good narration

Would you consider the audio edition of Rules of Ascension to be better than the print version?

No. I think in this case my inner voice would be much better for this book than the narrator.

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Title: The Fire in His Hands

Subtitle: Dread Empire, Book 4

Author: Glen Cook

Narrator: Stephen Hoye

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-01-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Once a mighty kingdom reigned - now all is chaos and darkness! In the vast reaches of the desert, a young heretic escapes certain death and embarks on a mission of madness and glory. He is El Murid - the Disciple - who vows to bring order, prosperity and righteousness to the desert people of Hammad al Nakir.

But among the warriors, rebellion seethes as they plot to execute the justice of the desert on their evil leader. For after four long centuries, a sorcerer appears among them - a savior destined to build a new Empire from the blood of their enemies!

Members Reviews:

Very enjoyable.

The back story of Braggi and Harun was just lovely. Harun wasn't always a big OP character. I enjoy it when long series do books like this to show how some of your favorite and least characters became who they are.

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Title: The Traitor's Daughter

Subtitle: Veiled Isles, Book 1

Author: Paula Brandon

Narrator: J. Michael McCullough

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-13-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Heres the beginning of a lush, epic, wholly original new trilogy that shines with magic, mystery, and captivating drama.

On the Veiled Isles, ominous signs are apparent to those with the talent to read them. The polarity of magic is wavering at its source, heralding a vast upheaval poised to alter the very balance of nature. Blissfully unaware of the cataclysmic events to come, Jianna Belandor, the beautiful, privileged daughter of a powerful Faerlonnish overlord, has only one concern: the journey to meet her prospective husband. But revolution is stirring as her own conquered people rise up against their oppressors, and Jianna is kidnapped and held captive at a rebel stronghold, insurance against what are perceived as her fathers crimes.

The resistance movement opens Jiannas eyes - and her heart. Despite her belief in her fathers innocence, she is fascinated by the bold and charming nomadic physician and rebel sympathizer, Falaste Rione - who offers Jianna her only sanctuary in a cold and calculating web of intrigue. As plague and chaos grip the land, Jianna is pushed to the limits of her courage and resourcefulness, while virulent enemies discover that alliance is their only hope to save the human race.

Members Reviews:

Great book from a veteran fantasy author of the 80s

I just wanted to say I waited years for new books from this author. This author is a veteran sci-fi/fantasy writer of the 80s under the name of Paula Volsky (Illusion, The Grand Ellipse, etc.); she's no new-comer. I'm disappointed this trilogy under her new name was mis-categorized as romance because I think that's the cause for a lot of the lower ratings. But I was not disappointed to see that Paula's writing style has remained as evocative and elegant as ever; really, the way she words things is just a pleasure to read in an age where nobody seems to be able to write anymore. The story in this trilogy, though interesting, didn't blow my mind, but for me the writing more than made up for it. I'll take a truly well-written book about paint drying over a compelling story with average writing any day; I just can't read it if the writing isn't any good. So thank you, Paula, and please write more.

Paula Volsky in fine form

First of all, I'm sorry for the people who though this would be a fantasy romance, although I confess that the thought of horrified looks on their faces when the blood starts flowing and the bodies hit the floor makes me laugh. So shame on Random House for their extremely misleading marketing, they should know better.

(Also, lol@the reviewer who thought that this was the author's first novel).

Ok, preliminaries done? Disclaimers disclaimed? Good. Let's get to it then.

A bit of history for those who don't know, Paula Brandon is a pen-name for Paula Volsky, an industry vet who went on a decade-long hiatus at the turn of the century, much to the dismay of her fans (of which I'm one). So I was very pleased to find out that she'd started writing again. Even better, she seems to have lost none of her skill. The Traitor's Daughter is very well written and executed fantasy.